Retire In Style Blog Too

Maybe you have seen this information before. If you have, go away or forget you were here. Just don't let the virtual door hit you on the bottom. According to some very big research, that will cause forgetfulness. I'm just saying! :) In a study called Walking through doorways causes forgetting: Situation models and experienced space by GABRIEL A. RADVANSKY University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana and DAVID E. COPELAND University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi investigated how the mind retrieves information as a person enters and leaves rooms virtually. The opening paragraph for the research paper went like this: We investigated the ability of people to retrieve information about objects as they moved through rooms in a virtual space. People were probed with object names that were either associated with the person (i.e., carried) or dissociated from the person (i.e., just set down). Also, people either did or did not shift spatial regions (i.e., go...

Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma.  Fashion is something that comes after style. – John Fairchild   Staying at home with small children was my first taste of a retirement-type of life away from the business world. I saw no reason to style my hair, put on makeup or care about my clothing every day…in fact, I rationalized away many efforts on the part of friends to get me to do otherwise. In my mind, each day was just a small segment of time… The only people who see me are babies and toddlers and they don’t care… Guest Blogger Pam Lutrell of Over 50 Feeling 40 . The small segments of time became weeks, months, years….until I completely lost myself and my self- esteem.   Looking in the mirror was discouraging at best. I understand the temptations of time spent at home.   I understand how we can believe there is really no reason to put the effort into our appearance. But, even if the person you see the most every day is only in the mirror…...

Note: We are having our new (and hopefully better) mattress delivered today, just in time. I thought you would love this article written by Matthew Pink about bizarre sleep behavior. It made me laugh. There are a few things which happen as the numbers of miles on your body clock tick on. Some things you have always needed, wanted, done anything for - now slip away into the shadows of unimportance. It's hard to explain.   Some things you never even dreamed of being interested in, having a taste for, or desiring - suddenly start to call to you like the sirens on the rocks. It's equally hard to explain. One thing that does seem to ebb away as the years tot up - is a need for long periods of shuteye. There seems to be a direct reverse correlation with age. We can all remember being a teen and being happy if we slept through until the early 'noon, shutting ourselves away in the daily hibernation and hormone-driven rituals of our adolescence. But not so later in life. Fo...

Note: I don't know about you but we take our holidays on the shoulder of the season. That is a time when most children are in school and resorts are very quiet. But there are other ideas for making your experience just as grown up during high season. Jo Petty points out some new travel trends for a holiday at the beach in England. b+ If you’re pondering your first getaway without the kids or simply tire of going on couples holidays where there are lots of young families around, a trip to an adults-only holiday village might be right up your street. There are lots of different types of adults-only holidays and specially designed hotels on the market. However, holiday villages provide a community to stay in over the course of your holiday. Think the setting of Dirty Dancing, but with less teenagers, dancing and 1960s clothes. Just what is a holiday village? Holiday villages are purpose built and are usually set in grounds away from bustling city centres and towns. You can stay in a...

Note: I know and you know that Las Vegas is fun. But fun for seniors... bring ID to prove that you are old enough to have fun fun? A fellow teacher wrote this one after he and his wife visited earlier this year. I'm going to check out all the hints here! You’re retired and finally have some time to travel, why not head to Las Vegas? This fun city offers an impressive amount of senior citizen discounts for you to enjoy a fun getaway for less! By strategically planning to enjoy as many discounts as possible, you can take a trip to Las Vegas that will cost a lot less than you might think. Don’t forget to bring your photo ID as you will need to show it to obtain most senior discounts. Many of the senior citizen discounts are advertised, but some you will need to ask about. Many of these discounts begin at age 50 and others cover ages 60 and up. If you are looking for vacation ideas in Las Vegas , here are some tips for taking advantage of discounts on food, shows, casino discount days ...

The conversation with the carpet installer was not what I had expected. I have remodeled many houses, built houses, dealt with construction workers and much much more. I have also been inside contractors offices and sheds. But, for some strange reason, I just assume that they will be more organized. What is wrong with me? Living room full. It had been exactly 2 weeks since we ordered the carpet and we were promises 10 working day so the carpet must be in....right? A call to the construction company that does that sort of thing revealed that the installation scheduler did not know if she had the carpet in the warehouse or not. Yes...no....yes! Oh my gosh... it was a miracle. The paper work had just been put on her desk as we were talking! How long would it have taken my file to make it to the top of the pile if I hadn't called? It turns out the average time between delivery and a call to schedule is 4 days. I am not a proud woman and have been know to beg to get the service I need...

A hammock full of babies. I don't know why I would say that...summer is a way of life for me.  When the air begins to cool in the Fall, my husband and I fly away to a warmer place. Yet there is something about summer in a place with four seasons don't you think? I always thought it was that time of year we learn to fall in love with love. Lazy days, warm night, books and candles in the moon light. Fun in the fountain. In a recent post Carol Cassara wrote about Lazy Summer Days Ahead. She asked what her reader's favorite summer memory was. Isn't it interesting that even at my age the images that flash to my mind are those of childhood. Carol talked about her small town and how in her memories of things remain the same. It is that way for me too. My friend had a sleeping porch on her little foundationless house. We shared a single bed with a creaking wire frame. Our feet fought for space in the middle as our heads pressed against the frame at each end. It was not comfor...

Once upon a time, people worked for the same company for most of their careers, and when they retired after 30 or 40 years, they qualified for a pension and health care coverage supplied by their employer. They entered their golden years secure in the knowledge that their medical needs would be covered, and their costs would remain steady. These days, such arrangements are few and far between, but some companies do still offer retiree medical coverage. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey , only about 30 percent of firms with more than 200 employees offer full retiree medical benefits. Working for an employer that offers retiree benefits puts you in a good position to manage your health care, but it doesn’t mean that you are completely covered forever or that things cannot change. Before you make a decision about which type of health care coverage to carry, consider these five facts.   Retiree Coverage Can Change You retire with excellent coverage, but a few years later, ...

I do have an actual life...really.  It comes and knocks on my door once in a while demanding my attention.  My blogging life must wait. Let me tell you right now my blogging life does not like being neglected at all. Readership goes down to nothing! Life has been all about grandchildren this week. My oldest son is in Beirut Lebanon with his wife on business. They had just flown in from China. So we took over the job of getting the girls on American time...jet lagging can be a problem with younger people too. Because they come from China in one day, they are not only turning night into day, they are also changing what day it is. If you have never seen a 5 year old about fall asleep in her pizza at 1 in the afternoon, it will be hard for you to visualize. But it does happen! We are having a wonderful time.  I love this part of my real "life".  What is your favorite part? b+ In order to find a picture of the girls from last summer I had to backtrack through all my photo...

b+ We try to learn about each other but it is hard. Someone asked me the other day what b+ was. Is my name Bee or does the b+ stand for something deeper and less visible? Could it be that I am hiding out on the Internet, using a pseudonym so that a troll or a stalker cannot find me? What does b+ stand for anyway? It occurred to me that we really don't know each other at all. In fact getting to know each other online is tricky at best. So I decided to share a few things about myself that you may not know. I'm Lazy First of all, the b is the first initial in my first name, Barbara. But the + tells you that that I am so much more than just a name. I started using it because I got tired of typing my whole name.   I am optimistic to a fault. It surprises me when it rains on my parade. I am in awe of intellect.   I am opinionated.   I am bashful AND brash. I think I was almost a perfect mother. My children may not agree. I am a liberal. I am a reading snob.   I have alway...

Note: I think downsizing is a smart financial move for a retiree. But it is an adjustment because it means fewer rooms and smaller spaces. The bathroom is a prime example. Chet Jenkins sent me this article. I hope you like it. Downsizing to a smaller home during retirement makes so much sense for the single person or couple on a budget. The benefits include fewer expenditures and less maintenance. However, among the downsides of the decision is dealing with smaller or fewer bathrooms than you might be used to. Making do with cramped bathrooms or one bathroom is easier than you may think. Maximize Storage Space Take advantage of any area with out-of-the-way storage potential. For example, under the sink or behind the mirror — that’s why you should start with the vanity — or in bathroom corners. You can even store some items, like spare toilet paper rolls, behind the toilet. Add shelves behind the door or on the wall. Just because you’ve downsized doesn’t mean you can’t remodel — and sta...

Is Spirit Airlines so cheap it is cutting corners on safety? Why do I ask? Well the experience we had with this airline makes us wonder. We are learning the hard way that traveling cheap is not only uncomfortable but also scary. There is a price to be paid. Last week we traveled to San Diego for our grandson's Marine basic training graduation. We were looking for affordable tickets and decided on Spirit because the price was right. Boy were we in for a surprise. You definitely cannot get something for nothing, not even on Spirit. If you plan on taking clothes with you, you are going to pay. Nothing on Spirit is free. In fact, overhead storage in the cabin costs more than checking your luggage at the ticket counter. There is no food or drinks, not even a glass of water and the seats are so close that the seat back recline a total of 5 inches (or less). But that was not the bad part. The pilots may not be as good as they should be. When we boarded the plane in San Diego to come home,...

This is a re-post. This had to be my favorite vacation with our motor home (sold). The baby here is 5 now and her big sister will be 10 in August. Tadpole Pond Lovingly named Lake Susan after my daughter. She is standing in the water with Amelia and Maddie. This picture was snapped with my iphone. It is an image of Mt. Hood (called Mountain Hood by grandchildren), Oregon as we traveled down the beautiful road that lies at it's foot. Heading east on Highway 26 from Portland, Oregon to Central Oregon, we travels south of Bend to East/Pauline Lakes (East Lake Camp Ground) on the east side of La Pine. We traveled in out 35' Motor Home (for sale orencoopinions@gmail.com) and stayed in the East Lake Resort facilities. The lakes are the result of volcanic activity and hot springs can be found in the area. Hikes include the opportunity to look in a volcanic caldera that is inactive at this time. Many of the mountains in this part of the world are still active and Mt St Helen...

I don't know where to begin. This has been an amazing week for my husband and I and my daughter's family. My grandson finished his Marine Corp basic training and we attended the celebration attached to that mile stone. Honestly, I did not know what to expect. I knew I was about to experience the Marine Corp as it opened the doors a crack so the families of those men that finish their recruit school could get a glimpse of their life. They had been in training for 3 month and had not heard any music save taps I suppose. Contact with their families was only what they received in letters and they did not have snack bars or a leisurely moment to themselves during that period of time.  In the Marine Corp the Drill Instructors spend that 24/7 with the men for that 12 week period. I am sure that many of you have either been in the military or had a member of you family decide to devote a part of their life to their country. My husband was in the Navy. But I was not prepared for the Mar...